1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices and methods for properly aligning the propeller shaft support members of a prop shaft connected in driving engagement with a marine engine in a water vessel under construction and for devices and methods associated with proper alignment of the engine mounted in the bed of a hull of a water vessel.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of lasers has become widespread in all aspects of measuring and construction due to the unique well-known features of laser beams. Small laser devices are almost exclusively routinely used in home and building construction for establishing both accurate distance measurements and accurate perpendicularity and parallel relationships between erected surfaces in construction.
A number of prior art disclosures also teach the utilization of lasers to measure and effect establishing proper coaxial, parallel or orthogonal relationships between straight solid or hollow shaft members as follows:                U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,946 to Holstein        U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,491 to Lysen        U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,914 to Hoelzl, et al.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,337,742 to Lysen, et al.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,849 to Hermann        U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,920 to Mattila        U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,294 to Busch et al.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,998 to Holzl        U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,903 to Lysen et al.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,799 to Lysen        U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,102 to Busch        U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,539 to Lysen        
The Prüftechnik Dieter Busch AG company has developed a number of the above patents, one of which, U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,946, teaches determining the axial position of hollow cylinders through the utilization of a laser beam emitting device. As noted, this invention is suitable especially for measuring shaft tunnels of ships and for laying pipelines.
The majority of the above prior U.S. Patents incorporate mirrors in splitting a beam into either perpendicular or parallel relationship one to another to establish a viewable alignment means with respect to the shaft or tunnel of interest. However, none of the prior teaching appears to disclose the utilization of a laser to project a beam along the design shaft line of a boat during construction or projecting a laser beam accurately colinearly along the same shaft line of an existing vessel and to strike a unique laser beam splitting apparatus which, when attached to the output shaft of the marine engine, will provide very accurate visual data or information as to whether the engine is properly aligned in all degrees of freedom with respect to the hull and the laser beam.